MUMBAI: Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation have tapped Raja Gosnell to direct Smurfs, the live-action/animated film based on the legendary blue characters created by Peyo.

The announcement was made by Columbia Pictures presidents Doug Belgrad and Matt Tolmach, Sony Pictures Entertainment president of digital production Bob Osher and Sony Pictures Animation president of production Hannah Minghella.

The film will be released in 3-D and 2-D formats on 17 December, 2010. Smurfs will be produced by Jordan Kerner and written by J. David Stem and David N. Weiss and Audrey Wells.

Kerner said, "With Raja coming aboard, we now have a brilliant director who has proven time and again that he has a deft touch in blending the worlds of physical comedy and honest emotion with both live action and photo real animated characters. Our three-apple-high heroes are in good hands, and we feel absolutely, positively Smurfy to be working with him."

Gosnell started his career as an editor, cutting films as Home Alone, Pretty Woman and Mrs. Doubtfire, among many others. When John Hughes suggested Gosnell helm Home Alone 3, the editor successfully took on his new role as director. He has since directed Never Been Kissed, Big Momma’s House, Scooby-Doo and Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, Yours, Mine and Ours, and, most recently, Beverly Hills Chihuahua.